The current application relates to a low cost temperature control system. In particular, the present application relates to low-cost heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system for a vehicle. In certain embodiments, the present application relates to a ventilation housing for a vehicle heating/cooling system.
The automobile industry places a particular emphasis on economy, and there is a desire to reduce the cost and improve the efficiency of vehicle components. The inventors have perceived that in a vehicle HVAC system, it is important to provide air with controlled temperature to each outlet. The desired temperature at each outlet differs in different modes of operation, such as vent, floor, bi-level and defrost, which makes HVAC housing design difficult. Usually, multiple doors or flaps together with mixing devices such as guide vanes, baffles or deflectors, are utilized to accomplish the task. However, each such structure adds cost to the system. Adding mixing devices also usually causes a pressure drop and increases the noise level of the system. In particular, it has been difficult to provide for a low-cost vehicle HVAC system that meets the packaging space requirements, provides low flow resistance in floor/defrost full hot mode and panel full cold mode, and achieves required temperature stratification in bi-level and defog modes.
The inventors of the present application have perceived particular ways to reduce the costs and increase the economy of a vehicle HVAC system. The application describes in particular an HVAC system having an efficient and economical use of components and space in the ventilation housing, while improving upon the performance characteristics of the system.